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'''Greg L. Bahnsen''' ([[September 17]], [[1948]] – [[December 11]], [[1995]]) was an influential Christian [[philosopher]], [[Christian apologetics|apologist]], and debater. He was an [[ordained]] [[minister of religion|minister]] in the [[Orthodox Presbyterian Church]] and a full time Scholar in Residence for the Southern California Center for Christian Studies.
{{short description|American theologian and philosopher}}
{{Infobox philosopher
| name = Greg Bahnsen
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| other_names =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1948|9|17}}
| birth_place = [[Auburn, Washington]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1995|12|11|1948|9|17}}
| death_place =
| school_tradition = [[Presuppositionalism]], [[Christian philosophy]]
| education = [[Westmont College]] ([[B. A.|BA]])<br/>[[Westminster Theological Seminary]] ([[MDiv]], [[Th.M.|ThM]])<br/>[[University of Southern California]] ([[PhD]])
| notable_ideas = [[Presuppositional apologetics]], [[postmillennialism]], [[theonomy]]
| era = [[20th-century philosophy]]
| region = [[Western philosophy]]
| spouse =
| partner =
| influences = [[Cornelius Van Til]], [[R.J. Rushdoony]]
| influenced = [[Francis Schaeffer]], [[R.J. Rushdoony]], [[John Frame (theologian)|John Frame]]<ref>Van Til's Apologetic back cover</ref>
}}


'''Gregory Lyle Bahnsen''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|ɑː|n|s|ən}}; September 17, 1948&nbsp;– December 11, 1995),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gregory Lyle Bahnsen (1948-1995) - Find a Grave... |url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/75280925/gregory_lyle-bahnsen |access-date=2024-07-15 |website=www.findagrave.com |language=en}}</ref> credited in most of his books as '''Greg Bahnsen''', was an American [[Calvinism|Calvinist]] philosopher and [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]]. He was a [[minister of religion|minister]] in the [[Orthodox Presbyterian Church]] and a full-time Scholar in Residence for the Southern California Center for Christian Studies (SCCCS). He is also considered a contributor to the field of Christian apologetics, as he popularized the [[Presuppositional apologetics|presuppositional]] method of [[Cornelius Van Til]].<ref name=":0" /> He is the father of [[David L. Bahnsen]], an American portfolio manager, author, and television commentator.


==Early life and education==
==Early life and education==


He was the first born of two sons of Robert and Virginia Bahnsen in [[Auburn, Washington]], and grew up in [[Pico Rivera, California]]. In youth he was beset by a number of medical difficulties, the most serious of which was a lifelong [[blood platelet]] problem that made it difficult for him to stop bleeding. He also had heart trouble &mdash; a fact that came to light only during his first college admissions medical exam.
He was the first born of two sons of Robert and Virginia Bahnsen in [[Auburn, Washington]], and grew up in [[Pico Rivera, California]]. In youth he was beset by a number of medical difficulties, the most serious of which was a lifelong [[platelet]] problem that made it difficult for him to stop bleeding, a condition similar to [[hæmophilia]]. He also had heart trouble which came to light only during his first college admissions medical exam.{{cn|date=January 2024}}


Raised in the [[Orthodox Presbyterian Church]], he actively participated in religious activities, never deviating from the faith. He first began reading the apologetics of [[Cornelius Van Til]] when in high school, and his absorption of these works influenced his later career. While attending [[Westmont College]] he began writing for the [[Chalcedon Foundation]] of [[R.J. Rushdoony|Rousas J. Rushdoony]] and soon came to admire the latter's strong [[Calvinism|Calvinistic]] convictions.
Raised in the [[Orthodox Presbyterian Church]], he actively participated in religious activities. He first began reading the apologetics of [[Cornelius Van Til]] when in high school. While attending [[Westmont College]] he began writing for the [[Chalcedon Foundation]] of [[R.J. Rushdoony|Rousas J. Rushdoony]] and soon came to admire the latter's strong Calvinistic convictions.{{cn|date=January 2024}}


⚫
In 1970 Bahnsen graduated ''[[magna cum laude]]'' from Westmont College, receiving his [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] in philosophy as well as the John Bunyan Smith Award for his overall [[grade point average]]. From there he went on to [[Westminster Theological Seminary]] in [[Philadelphia]], where he studied under Cornelius Van Til. The two became close friends. When he graduated in May 1973, he simultaneously received two degrees, [[Master of Divinity]] and [[Master of Theology]], as well as the William Benton Greene Prize in apologetics and a Richard Weaver Fellowship from the [[Intercollegiate Studies Institute]]. His next academic stop was the [[University of Southern California]] (USC), where he studied [[philosophy]], specializing in the [[epistemology|theory of knowledge]]. In 1975, after receiving ordination in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, he became an associate professor of Apologetics and Ethics at [[Reformed Theological Seminary]] (RTS) in [[Jackson, Mississippi]]. While there, he completed his studies at USC, receiving his [[Ph.D.]] in 1978. Bahnsen's four years at RTS were fraught with contention, centered around his particular version of theonomic postmillennialism.<ref name=":0">{{cite book|last1=Bahnsen|first1=Greg|title=Always Ready: Directiond for Defending the Faith|date=September 2011|publisher=Covenant Media Press|location=Nacogdoches|isbn=978-0-915815-28-9|pages=ix–x}}</ref>
In 1969 Bahnsen married Cathie Wade, an emotionally and pychologically unstable woman. The two went on to have three sons of their own as well as an adopted [[Korean people|Korean]] daughter, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1990 after his wife left him for a former church member, named David Arnold.

⚫
In 1970 Bahnsen graduated [[magna cum laude]] from Westmont College, receiving his [[B.A.]] in philosophy as well as the John Bunyan Smith Award for his overall [[grade point average]]. From there he went on to [[Westminster Theological Seminary]] in [[Philadelphia]], where he studied under Van Til and the two became close friends. When he graduated in May 1973, he simultaneously received two degrees, [[Master of Divinity]] and [[Master of Theology]], as well as the William Benton Greene Prize in apologetics and a [[Richard Weaver]] Fellowship from the [[Intercollegiate Studies Institute.]] His next academic stop was the [[University of Southern California]] (USC), where he studied [[philosophy]], specializing in the [[epistemology|theory of knowledge]]. In 1975, after receiving ordination in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, he became an associate professor of Apologetics and Ethics at [[Reformed Theological Seminary]] in [[Jackson, Mississippi]]. While there, he completed his studies at USC, receiving his [[Ph.D.]] in 1978.


==Later life==
==Later life==
⚫
One of the original pillars of [[Christian Reconstructionism|Christian Reconstruction]], Bahnsen was a leading proponent of [[theonomy]], [[postmillennialism]], and [[presuppositional apologetics]]. He lectured to a broad range of [[evangelical Christian]] groups at many colleges and conferences, not only throughout the [[United States]], but also in [[Scotland]] and [[Russia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chalcedon.edu/featured/gentry.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040616083133/http://www.chalcedon.edu/featured/gentry.shtml|title=The Chalcedon Foundation – Faith for All of Life|archive-date=June 16, 2004|work=chalcedon.edu}}</ref> He published over 1700 audio tapes, videos, articles, and books.{{cn|date=January 2024}}
{{Dominionism}}
⚫
One of the original pillars of [[Christian Reconstructionism|Christian Reconstruction]], Bahnsen was a leading proponent of [[theonomy]], [[postmillennialism]], and [[presuppositional apologetics]]. He lectured to a broad range of [[evangelical Christian]] groups at many colleges and conferences, not only throughout the [[United States]] but in the [[British Isles]] and [[Russia]]. He published numerous articles and has over 1700 audio tapes, videos, articles, and books to his name.


Greg Bahnsen's vocal advocacy of Christian Reconstructionism and theonomy was highly controversial during his lifetime, and a public disputation pertaining to theonomy led to his dismissal from the [[Reformed Theological Seminary]] in Jackson, Mississippi.
Greg Bahnsen's vocal advocacy of Christian Reconstructionism and theonomy was highly controversial during his lifetime, and a public disputation pertaining to theonomy led to his dismissal from the [[Reformed Theological Seminary]] in Jackson, Mississippi.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opc.org/OS/html/V4/2b.html|title=Theonomy: What Have We Learned?|work=opc.org}}</ref> In addition, he was known for his public debates on [[apologetics]], theonomy, [[religion]] (such as [[Roman Catholicism]], [[Islam]], and [[Judaism]]), and a variety of socio-political issues (such as [[abortion]], [[gun control]], and [[homosexuality]]).


In addition, he was known for his public debates on [[apologetics]], theonomy, [[religion]] (such as [[Roman Catholicism]], [[Islam]], and [[Judaism]]), and a variety of socio-political issues (such as [[gun control]] and [[homosexuality]]). He is perhaps best known for his debates with such leading [[atheism|atheists]] as [[George H. Smith]], [[Gordon Stein]], and [[Edward Tabash]]. In the debate with Stein, Bahnsen used the [[transcendental argument for the existence of God]] (TAG), which Stein later conceded he had been unprepared for but to which he subsequently developed a reply.
Bahnsen had a number of public debates with [[atheism|atheists]] including [[George H. Smith]], [[Gordon Stein]], and [[Edward Tabash]]. The debate with Stein marked one of the earliest uses of a [[transcendental argument for the existence of God]] (TAG).{{cn|date=January 2024}}


Bahnsen was once described as "the man atheists fear most"[http://mywebpages.comcast.net/webpages54/ap/biobahn.html] because of the controversy surrounding the Bahnsen-Martin debate, which was cancelled by Michael Martin, who explained, "I refused to allow the debate to be taped and sold to support a Christian organization." [http://www.serve.com/thibodep/cr/press.htm] [http://www.infidels.org/infidels/newsletter/1996/may.html] Atheists maintain that Martin has since adequately responded to Bahnsen's use of TAG in that debate, doing so in his own debates with [[Michael Butler (apologist)|Michael Butler]], [[John Frame]], and Douglas Jones as well as in papers posted on the [[Secular Web]] [http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/michael_martin/induction.html] [http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/michael_martin/logic.html], but Reformed apologists say an adequate rebuttal has not been achieved.[http://www.reformed.org/apologetics/martin_TAG.html]
In 1994 a controversy emerged after atheist philosopher [[Michael Martin (philosopher)|Michael Martin]] was informed three weeks before a scheduled debate with Bahnsen "that Bahnsen would not debate unless Martin gave written permission to SCCCS to tape the debate" for resale to support SCCCS. Martin refused because "he did not want SCCCS to profit from his participation", while SCCCS refused to let Bahnsen debate without the debate being taped. The debate was canceled.<ref name='Stein_debate'>{{cite news | first=Jeffery Jay | last=Lowder | title=Martin and Stein Respond to SCCCS | date=May 1996 | publisher=[[Internet Infidels]] | url =http://www.infidels.org/infidels/newsletter/1996/may.html#scccs | work =Internet Infidels Newsletter | access-date = November 27, 2008}}</ref> Since that time Martin has responded to Bahnsen's use of TAG, doing so in his own debates with [[Michael Butler (apologist)|Michael Butler]], [[John Frame (philosopher)|John Frame]], and Douglas Jones, and has published his "Transcendental Argument for the Non-Existence of God" in the journal of the [[New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists]], as well as in essays posted on the [[Secular Web]].<ref name='induction'>{{cite news | first=Michael | last=Martin | title=Does Induction Presume the Existence of the Christian God? (1997) | year=2000 | publisher=[[Internet Infidels]] | url =http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/michael_martin/induction.html | work =Internet Infidels Library | access-date = November 27, 2008}}</ref><ref name='logic'>{{cite news | first=Michael | last=Martin | title=Does Logic Presuppose the Existence of the Christian God? (2000) | year=2000 | publisher=[[Internet Infidels]] | url =http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/michael_martin/logic.html | work =Internet Infidels Library | access-date = November 27, 2008}}</ref>


==Death==
Bahnsen was known to his friends for his personal side. Douglas Jones wrote in Vol. 8, No. 1 of ''Credenda/Agenda'' magazine following Bahnsen’s death that "some of us also remember him for his love of adventure movies, his fondness for Chinese food, his love of laughter, his lightning fast typing skills, and his encyclopedic knowledge of the history of [[rock and roll]]. No one could even come close to beating him on the details of rock history."
⚫
Due to his lifelong medical problems, Bahnsen had to undergo a third [[aortic valve]] implant surgery on December 5, 1995. After the completion of the operation, serious complications developed within twenty-four hours. He then became comatose for several days and died on December 11, 1995, at the age of 47.<ref>{{cite work|url=https://frcna.org/publications/messenger/messenger-articles/item/7414-|title=Dr. Greg L. Bahnsen Dead At Age 47|author=Rev. H.A. Bergsma|work=United Reformed News Service|accessdate=June 23, 2021|archive-date=March 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325073915/https://frcna.org/publications/messenger/messenger-articles/item/7414-|url-status=dead}}</ref>


==Works==
⚫
Due to his lifelong medical problems, Bahnsen had to undergo a third [[aortic valve]] implant surgery on December 5, 1995. After the completion of the operation, serious complications developed within twenty-four hours. He then became comatose for several days and died on December 11, 1995 at the age of forty-seven.
⚫
* ''Always Ready: Directions for Defending the Faith'' ({{ISBN|0692124187}})
⚫
* ''Van Til's Apologetic: Readings and Analysis'' ({{ISBN|0-87552-098-7}})
⚫
* ''Theonomy in Christian Ethics'' ({{ISBN|0-9678317-3-3}})
⚫
* ''By This Standard: The Authority Of God's Law Today'' {{ISBN|0-930464-06-0}}
⚫
* ''No Other Standard: Theonomy and Its Critics'' {{ISBN|0-930464-56-7}}
⚫
* ''House Divided: The Breakup of Dispensational Theology'' with [[Kenneth Gentry]]. {{ISBN|0-930464-27-3}}
⚫
* ''Homosexuality: A Biblical View'' ({{ISBN|0-8010-0744-5}})
⚫
* ''Five Views on Law and Gospel'' (Chapter contribution) ({{ISBN|0-310-21271-5}})
⚫
* ''Foundations of Christian Scholarship'' (2 Chapter Contributions) ({{ISBN|1-879998-25-4}})
⚫
* ''God and Politics: Four Views on the Reformation of Civil Government'' (Chapter contribution) ({{ISBN|0-87552-448-6}})
⚫
* ''Theonomy: An Informed Response'' (2 Chapter contributions) ({{ISBN|0-930464-59-1}})
⚫
* ''Victory in Jesus: The Bright Hope of Postmillennialism'' ({{ISBN|0-9678317-1-7}})
* ''Presuppositional Apologetics: Stated and Defended'' (Edited by Joel McDurmon.) ({{ISBN|0-915815-55-9}})


==Books authored==
==See also==
{{Portal|Christianity}}
:''See references at [[Christian Reconstructionism]] for links to free online versions of some of these (and related) books''.
* [[Bahnsen Theological Seminary]]


==References==
⚫
* ''Always Ready: Directions for Defending the Faith'' (ISBN 0-915815-28-1)
{{Reflist}}
⚫
* ''Van Til's Apologetic: Readings and Analysis'' (ISBN 0-87552-098-7)
⚫
* ''Theonomy in Christian Ethics'' (ISBN 0-9678317-3-3)
⚫
* ''By This Standard: The Authority Of God's Law Today'' (ISBN 0-930464-06-0; Available [http://freebooks.commentary.net/freebooks/docs/2c6a_47e.htm online for free].)
⚫
* ''No Other Standard: Theonomy and Its Critics'' (ISBN 0-930464-56-7; Available [http://freebooks.commentary.net/freebooks/docs/219e_47e.htm online for free])
⚫
* ''House Divided: The Breakup of Dispensational Theology'' with Kenneth Gentry. (ISBN 0-930464-27-3; Available [http://freebooks.entrewave.com/freebooks/docs/21fe_47e.htm online for free])
⚫
* ''Homosexuality: A Biblical View'' (ISBN 0-8010-0744-5)
⚫
* ''Five Views on Law and Gospel'' (Chapter contribution) (ISBN 0-310-21271-5)
⚫
* ''Foundations of Christian Scholarship'' (2 Chapter Contributions) (ISBN 1-879998-25-4)
⚫
* ''God and Politics: Four Views on the Reformation of Civil Government'' (Chapter contribution) (ISBN 0-87552-448-6)
⚫
* ''Theonomy: An Informed Response'' (2 Chapter contributions) (ISBN 0-930464-59-1)
⚫
* ''Victory in Jesus: The Bright Hope of Postmillennialism'' (ISBN 0-9678317-1-7)


==Books about==
==Further reading==
⚫
* ''The Standard Bearer: A Festschrift for Greg L. Bahnsen'' ({{ISBN|0-9678317-4-1}}). Contributors include [[David L. Bahnsen]], [[Kenneth Gentry]], and [[Andrew Sandlin]]

⚫
* ''The Standard Bearer: A Festschrift for Greg L. Bahnsen'' (ISBN 0-9678317-4-1)


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.cmfnow.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=8 Essays by Greg Bahnsen and other writers]
*[http://www.cmfnow.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=8 Essays by Greg Bahnsen and other writers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090830184431/http://www.cmfnow.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=8 |date=August 30, 2009 }}
*[https://host186.ipowerweb.com/~kenneth1/appointed.htm Appointed for the Defense of the Gospel: The Life and Ministry of Greg L. Bahnsen] by [[Kenneth Gentry]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20040616083133/http://www.chalcedon.edu/featured/gentry.shtml Appointed for the Defense of the Gospel: The Life and Ministry of Greg L. Bahnsen] by [[Kenneth Gentry]]
*[http://www.bellevuechristian.org/faculty/dribera/htdocs/PDFs/Apol_Bahnsen_Stein_Debate_Transcript.pdf Bahnsen vs. Stein Audio Debate transcribed]
*[https://reformedwiki.com/greg-bahnsen-vs-gordon-stein-debate-transcript-the-great-debate-does-god-exist/ Bahnsen vs. Stein Audio Debate transcribed]
*[http://www.frame-poythress.org/frame_articles/Bahnsen.htm "Bahnsen at the Stein Debate"] by John Frame
*"[http://www.frame-poythress.org/frame_articles/Bahnsen.htm Bahnsen at the Stein Debate]" by John Frame
*[http://www.scccs.org/scccs/word/PenpointArticle.asp?id=30 Review of ''The Standard Bearer: A Festschrift for Greg L. Bahnsen''] by Steve M. Schlissel
*{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041215174321/http://www.scccs.org/scccs/word/PenpointArticle.asp?id=30 |date=December 15, 2004 |title=Review of ''The Standard Bearer: A Festschrift for Greg L. Bahnsen'' }} by Steve M. Schlissel
*[http://www.frame-poythress.org/frame_articles/1977Bahnsen.htm Review of ''Theonomy in Christian Ethics''] by John Frame
*[http://www.frame-poythress.org/frame_articles/1977Bahnsen.htm Review of ''Theonomy in Christian Ethics''] by John Frame
*[http://www.reformed.org/apologetics/index.html?mainframe=/apologetics/index_apol.html Reformed Apologetics] includes several articles written by Bahnsen
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20181025193435/https://reformed.org/apologetics/index.html?mainframe=%2Fapologetics%2Findex_apol.html Reformed Apologetics] includes several articles written by Bahnsen
* [http://www.youtube.com/user/gregbahnsen Videos of Bahnsen] on [[YouTube]]
*{{YouTube|user=gregbahnsen|title=Bahnsen}}

{{Christian Reconstructionism}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Bahnsen, Greg}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bahnsen, Greg}}
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:1995 deaths]]
[[Category:1995 deaths]]
[[Category:American Presbyterians]]
[[Category:20th-century American male writers]]
[[Category:American theologians]]
[[Category:20th-century American non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Christian apologetics]]
[[Category:20th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians]]
[[Category:Calvinist ministers and theologians]]
[[Category:20th-century American Presbyterian ministers]]
[[Category:Calvinist philosophers]]
[[Category:American Calvinist and Reformed theologians]]
[[Category:Presbyterian ministers]]
[[Category:American male non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:American religious writers]]
[[Category:Calvinist and Reformed philosophers]]
[[Category:Calvinist and Reformed writers]]
[[Category:Christian apologists]]
[[Category:Christian reconstructionism]]
[[Category:American critics of atheism]]
[[Category:Dominion theology]]
[[Category:Orthodox Presbyterian Church ministers]]
[[Category:People from Auburn, Washington]]
[[Category:Presbyterians from Washington (state)]]
[[Category:University of Southern California alumni]]
[[Category:Westminster Theological Seminary alumni]]
[[Category:Westmont College alumni]]
[[Category:Westmont College alumni]]
[[Category:Christian Reconstructionism]]
[[Category:Reformed Theological Seminary faculty]]

Latest revision as of 02:17, 23 September 2024

Greg Bahnsen
Born(1948-09-17)September 17, 1948
Auburn, Washington, U.S.
DiedDecember 11, 1995(1995-12-11) (aged 47)
EducationWestmont College (BA)
Westminster Theological Seminary (MDiv, ThM)
University of Southern California (PhD)
Era20th-century philosophy
RegionWestern philosophy
SchoolPresuppositionalism, Christian philosophy
Notable ideas
Presuppositional apologetics, postmillennialism, theonomy

Gregory Lyle Bahnsen (/ˈbɑːnsən/; September 17, 1948 – December 11, 1995),[2] credited in most of his books as Greg Bahnsen, was an American Calvinist philosopher and Christian apologist. He was a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and a full-time Scholar in Residence for the Southern California Center for Christian Studies (SCCCS). He is also considered a contributor to the field of Christian apologetics, as he popularized the presuppositional method of Cornelius Van Til.[3] He is the father of David L. Bahnsen, an American portfolio manager, author, and television commentator.

Early life and education

[edit]

He was the first born of two sons of Robert and Virginia Bahnsen in Auburn, Washington, and grew up in Pico Rivera, California. In youth he was beset by a number of medical difficulties, the most serious of which was a lifelong platelet problem that made it difficult for him to stop bleeding, a condition similar to hæmophilia. He also had heart trouble which came to light only during his first college admissions medical exam.[citation needed]

Raised in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, he actively participated in religious activities. He first began reading the apologetics of Cornelius Van Til when in high school. While attending Westmont College he began writing for the Chalcedon Foundation of Rousas J. Rushdoony and soon came to admire the latter's strong Calvinistic convictions.[citation needed]

In 1970 Bahnsen graduated magna cum laude from Westmont College, receiving his B.A. in philosophy as well as the John Bunyan Smith Award for his overall grade point average. From there he went on to Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, where he studied under Cornelius Van Til. The two became close friends. When he graduated in May 1973, he simultaneously received two degrees, Master of Divinity and Master of Theology, as well as the William Benton Greene Prize in apologetics and a Richard Weaver Fellowship from the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. His next academic stop was the University of Southern California (USC), where he studied philosophy, specializing in the theory of knowledge. In 1975, after receiving ordination in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, he became an associate professor of Apologetics and Ethics at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) in Jackson, Mississippi. While there, he completed his studies at USC, receiving his Ph.D. in 1978. Bahnsen's four years at RTS were fraught with contention, centered around his particular version of theonomic postmillennialism.[3]

Later life

[edit]

One of the original pillars of Christian Reconstruction, Bahnsen was a leading proponent of theonomy, postmillennialism, and presuppositional apologetics. He lectured to a broad range of evangelical Christian groups at many colleges and conferences, not only throughout the United States, but also in Scotland and Russia.[4] He published over 1700 audio tapes, videos, articles, and books.[citation needed]

Greg Bahnsen's vocal advocacy of Christian Reconstructionism and theonomy was highly controversial during his lifetime, and a public disputation pertaining to theonomy led to his dismissal from the Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi.[5] In addition, he was known for his public debates on apologetics, theonomy, religion (such as Roman Catholicism, Islam, and Judaism), and a variety of socio-political issues (such as abortion, gun control, and homosexuality).

Bahnsen had a number of public debates with atheists including George H. Smith, Gordon Stein, and Edward Tabash. The debate with Stein marked one of the earliest uses of a transcendental argument for the existence of God (TAG).[citation needed]

In 1994 a controversy emerged after atheist philosopher Michael Martin was informed three weeks before a scheduled debate with Bahnsen "that Bahnsen would not debate unless Martin gave written permission to SCCCS to tape the debate" for resale to support SCCCS. Martin refused because "he did not want SCCCS to profit from his participation", while SCCCS refused to let Bahnsen debate without the debate being taped. The debate was canceled.[6] Since that time Martin has responded to Bahnsen's use of TAG, doing so in his own debates with Michael Butler, John Frame, and Douglas Jones, and has published his "Transcendental Argument for the Non-Existence of God" in the journal of the New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists, as well as in essays posted on the Secular Web.[7][8]

Death

[edit]

Due to his lifelong medical problems, Bahnsen had to undergo a third aortic valve implant surgery on December 5, 1995. After the completion of the operation, serious complications developed within twenty-four hours. He then became comatose for several days and died on December 11, 1995, at the age of 47.[9]

Works

[edit]
  • Always Ready: Directions for Defending the Faith (ISBN 0692124187)
  • Van Til's Apologetic: Readings and Analysis (ISBN 0-87552-098-7)
  • Theonomy in Christian Ethics (ISBN 0-9678317-3-3)
  • By This Standard: The Authority Of God's Law Today ISBN 0-930464-06-0
  • No Other Standard: Theonomy and Its Critics ISBN 0-930464-56-7
  • House Divided: The Breakup of Dispensational Theology with Kenneth Gentry. ISBN 0-930464-27-3
  • Homosexuality: A Biblical View (ISBN 0-8010-0744-5)
  • Five Views on Law and Gospel (Chapter contribution) (ISBN 0-310-21271-5)
  • Foundations of Christian Scholarship (2 Chapter Contributions) (ISBN 1-879998-25-4)
  • God and Politics: Four Views on the Reformation of Civil Government (Chapter contribution) (ISBN 0-87552-448-6)
  • Theonomy: An Informed Response (2 Chapter contributions) (ISBN 0-930464-59-1)
  • Victory in Jesus: The Bright Hope of Postmillennialism (ISBN 0-9678317-1-7)
  • Presuppositional Apologetics: Stated and Defended (Edited by Joel McDurmon.) (ISBN 0-915815-55-9)

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Van Til's Apologetic back cover
  2. ^ "Gregory Lyle Bahnsen (1948-1995) - Find a Grave..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Bahnsen, Greg (September 2011). Always Ready: Directiond for Defending the Faith. Nacogdoches: Covenant Media Press. pp. ix–x. ISBN 978-0-915815-28-9.
  4. ^ "The Chalcedon Foundation – Faith for All of Life". chalcedon.edu. Archived from the original on June 16, 2004.
  5. ^ "Theonomy: What Have We Learned?". opc.org.
  6. ^ Lowder, Jeffery Jay (May 1996). "Martin and Stein Respond to SCCCS". Internet Infidels Newsletter. Internet Infidels. Retrieved November 27, 2008.
  7. ^ Martin, Michael (2000). "Does Induction Presume the Existence of the Christian God? (1997)". Internet Infidels Library. Internet Infidels. Retrieved November 27, 2008.
  8. ^ Martin, Michael (2000). "Does Logic Presuppose the Existence of the Christian God? (2000)". Internet Infidels Library. Internet Infidels. Retrieved November 27, 2008.
  9. ^ Rev. H.A. Bergsma. Dr. Greg L. Bahnsen Dead At Age 47. Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2021. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)

Further reading

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